The Martin E. P. Seligman Award: Information and History

The Martin E. P. Seligman Award bestows a cash grant of $1,000 to a scholar who has completed a Ph.D. dissertation in any area of research related to Positive Psychology and who plans to continue research in this area.

2007: Jason Berman, postdoctoral fellow at University of California—San Diego. Berman's research investigated the relationship between having one's "signature strengths" (virtuous traits and character strengths) as highly accessible within their self-concept, and the person's psychological well-being.

We also congratulate the finalists for 2007.

2006: Paule Miquelon, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. Miquelon’s research closely examines how both hedonism (pleasure) and eudemonism (purposeful life engagement) relate to physical health.

We also congratulate the finalists for 2006.

2005: Patricia Bruininks, Hendrix College, Conway, Arkansas. Bruinink's research attempts to define hope by distinguishing it from optimism and other related states, and to measure hope by creating an individual difference measure based on that definition.

We also congratulate the finalists for 2005.

2004: Geneviève A. Mageau, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec. Mageau’s research explores harmonious versus obsessive passions, and shows that the way people engage in activities may influence the extent to which they derive positive affect from them.

We also congratulate the finalists for 2004.

2003: Margaret J. Shih, Assistant Professor in the Organizational Psychology Program at the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor. Shih’s research attempted to show how an emphasis on one’s positive identities can boost performance on academic tasks.

We also congratulate the finalists and honorable mentions for 2003.

2002: Leaf Van Boven, University of Colorado's Department of Psychology. His dissertation research looked to identify a simple, empirically based prescription regarding the pursuit of happiness. His work examined the "hedonic superiority of life experiences over material possessions" and suggested that spending money with the intention of acquiring experiences tends to provide more enduring happiness than making material purchases.

We also congratulate the finalists and honorable mentions for 2002.

2001: No prize awarded.

2000: Suzanne C. Segerstrom, Assistant Professor at University of Kentucky in the Department of Psychology. Her dissertation was on "Optimism and Coping with Enduring Stress: Psychological and Immune Effects" We are also very pleased to convey that Dr. Segerstrom went on to win the 2002 Templeton Positive Psychology Prize. Her "study of the beneficial effects of optimism on physical health has attracted considerable attention in several fields and is breaking new ground in our understanding of how psychological factors promote or impair health," says University of Kentucky's Mike Nietzel, acting provost.

1999 — Inaugural Award: Scott C. Carvajal of Education, Training, Research Associates in Santa Cruz, CA. Dr. Carvajal's dissertation was on "Global Expectancies of the Self as Distal Determinants of Adolescent Substance Use: A Test of Mediating and Moderating Effects."